Anywhere But Home
by Pariah-Of-Exodus
Summary: Series of songfics to the Evanescence CD Anywhere But Home Do not read if you have anything against Kikyo or Kagome.. lots of lovetriangleness. MirSan in later chapters. [CHAPTER SIX UP, MISSING] IYxKag, IYxKik
1. Haunted

Author's Notes: HA! You all probly thought that my next story was gonna be 'The Demon's Reign,' like I said it would be, didn't ya? well, guess what! i surprised ya! I know a lot of ppl have written fics to the Evanescence CD 'Fallen', and since Evanescence is the greatest band of all time, an' all that, I decided to do somethin a little different: write a songfic for the chapters of Evanescence's new cd, 'Anywhere But Home: Evanescence, Live in Paris'. Since during the concert the bonus song "Missing" is last and the awesome song "Hello" was not performed, they will be added in randomly... (basically whenever I feel like writin' 'em, dammit! I'm authoress don't ask questions!)

side note: this is how it's gonna be:

**/song lyrics/**

_'thoughts'_

"speach"

Chapter 1: Haunted

**/Long lost words whisper slowly..to me...**

**Still can't find what keeps me here/**

Kikyo wandered, her soul stealers swirling and coalescing through the midnight air. The darkness suited her now. She was souless... heartless.. Aimless.. And it was all thanks to Naraku

**/When all this time, I've been so hollow inside**

**. . I know you're still there/**

"Onigumo..." She muttered his despised named aloud, and turned to where the demon himself stood, shaded by the thick oaks, shrouded in blackness. He was following her-- hunting her, stalking her. It disturbed Kikyo greatly...

**/Watching me, Wanting me, I can feel you pull me down**

**Fearing you, Loving you, I won't let you pull me down/**

She couldn't kill him; no--what was left of her damned sympathy for the brigand Onigumo prevented her from being so rash. That, and she wasn't completely certain she had the strength--at least not alone...

Inu-Yasha couldn't mistake that scent...Kikyo's scent! He stopped his current activity (a walk to let Kagome cool down), and followed the smell to the source. The forest was thick, so the going was very slow.

**/Hunting you, I can smell you...Alive!**

**Your heart pounding in my head/**

"Why are you following me!" Kikyo turned to the monster called Naraku angrily.

"Because you're fun to annoy." The snake-like voice sent shivers up her spine. His aura was suffocating her; engulfing her. She could feel it on her skin and it made her flesh crawl. It bothered her, how very easily her made her cringe.

**/Watching me, wanting me.. I can feel you pull me down**

**Saving me, Raping me.. I won't let you pull me down/**

"Kikyo..." She turned to where Inu-Yasha stood, looking shocked.

_'Not now, of all times...' _Kikyo mentally sighed at his prescence.

"Inu-Yasha, how very amusing." Naraku smirked in that disgusting way of his.

**/(watching me, wanting me.. I can) Aahhhhhh! Aahhhh! FEEL YOU PULL ME DOWN!**

**(fearing you, loving you..I won't) Aahhhhh! Aahhhhh! LET YOU PULL ME DOWN/**

"Stop it! This is not the time, nor the place!" Kikyo's voice snapped through the night.

"B-But! He's..It's! Naraku!" The hanyou's golden eagle eyes flashed with hatred.

"There is no need for a fight!" Kikyo's eyes were pleading. She wrapped her arms around

Inu-Yasha.

"How quaint... Until next time, then..." Naraku's laughter faded away into the dying nighttime blackness. Daytime approached and the sky gleamed with a rainbow of colors in memory of the time the Sacred Jewel Shards, mirroring the explosion's appearance.

"I've missed you, Inu-Yasha.." Kikyo pulled him close, into a deep embrace.

"Kikyo.." He breathed her name and returned her gesture.

Kagome stumbled blindly...and angrily...through the forest. She stiffled a yawn and pushed a holly's unruly branch out of her face. She happened upon a clearing, or, more accurately, tripped, tumbled, and landed flat on her face into a clearing. But what she saw hurt her far worse than a few bruises and scrapes.

"Inu-Yasha..." Her eyes watered and the tears came. The hanyou and Kikyo were locked in warm embrace. Kagome didn't move...or even breathe; she just stared.

Inu-Yasha felt someone's gaze and turned slowly, to meet Kagome's eyes. She looked absolutely heartbroken.

"Kagome...!" her name was a shocked sigh against Dawn's cold winds.

The future girl stood on trembling legs, praying to whoever the hell was listening that her knees didn't give out and she was able to run as far away from here as possible. Her feet pounded the ground, her breathing came in short rasps. She tripped once, hitting the ground hard, and choked out a curse through her desperate sobs.

_'Why do I even bother!' _She ran on to Edo, to the Bone-Eaters' Well.

Author's Notes:

HEEE! this fic is totally unlike 'Shadowfox' and I'm hopin' to shock ya with 'The Demon's Reign,' too... whenever I get around to posting the (unfinished) first chapter... ((cough)) ermm... HEY WHO'S WORKING THOSE PARENTHESIS!

Kitsune: lazy...Go back to Shadowfox.. I'm in there

DSK: Stupid, conceited, airheaded, worthless excuse for a ---

Kitsune: y'don't hafta be insulting... T.T

DSK: I'M SO SOWWY MY POOR WIDDLE MUSE! ((cuddles him))

Well, anyway I forgot this at the beginning so here it is

Disclaimer: I do not own Evanescence or Inu-Yasha but the people who do are jus' rakin' in the cash so I wish I did...

Kitsune: and that stuff about the dawn... very deeeeeeeeeeep... it made me feel so emotional!

DSK: ((smacks him)) smartass...


	2. Going Under

Author's Notes: well, hopefully u've been waiting for it... here it is, BEHOLD: The second chappie of Anywhere But Home... rock on, my friends...

Disclaimer: I dun own Evanescence or InuYasha... unfortunately... that would be so freakin' awesome... anyhoo...also, i don't own the Wizard of Oz... u'll find out where that comes in soon enough...

**/Now I will tell you what I've done for you/**

"Stupid, Moronic, Idiotic DOG!" Kagome spat viciously. She stormed out of the forest, past a wide-eyed Miroku, who had volunteered to 'bravely quest for her.' She pushed past throngs of excited children, focusing only on reaching the well...on getting the _hell_ out of this place. She squeezed her eyes shut harshly, stanching the flow of tears. That wouldn't stop the pain, though. This wouldn't stop hurting... Not anytime soon, at least...

**/Fifty thousand tears I've cried.../**

This was unbelievable! Even after all they'd been through... Everything they'd counted on each other for... He still chose that damn clay POT!

**/Screaming, Deceiving, and Bleeding for you,**

**And you... Still won't hear me.../**

For a moment, she was entertained by the image of rain falling and Kikyo melting like the Wicked Witch of the East from the Wizard of Oz...Then she remembered that Kikyo was often seen during rain storms and, unfortunately for Kagome, didn't even bat an eyelash, much less collapse into a melted pile of mud while screaming "I'll get you, my pretty! And your little dog, too!" Plus... Kagome didn't even own a dog.. And she was fairly certain that Kikyo would never refer to her as her 'pretty.' She shuddered slightly at that, yet stormed on, her rant uninterupted.

/**Don't want your hand, this time, I'll save _MYSELF_!**

**Maybe I'll wake up for once...**

**Not TORMENTED daily, defeated by you... **

**Just when I.. Thought I'd reached the bottom.../**

She swore if he came looking for her...She'd refuse anything he offered. Anything and Everything.. She wouldn't owe him more than she already did. All she was doing was digging her own grave by staying with him. There'd be one time when he _wouldn't_ be able to save her. And she refused to have the blame land on herself if _either_ of them died. At the moment, though, she couldn't care less. She just didn't want his help...

**/I'm... Dying.. Again/**

She sighed, finally reaching the well. She sat on the edge. '_I'll **NEVER** be as good as Kikyo. I'll never live up to her standards. I'll always be stuck in her shadow... **Always!**_' She took a deep breath, and without further hesitation, plunged into the well's depths.

**/I'm GOING UNDER! (Going Under)**

**Drowning in YOU! (Drowing in You)**

**I'm FALLING FOREVER! (Falling forever)**

**I've got to BREAK THROUGH! I'M...**

**Going under.../**

The blue light engulfed her welcomingly. She silently thanked it for never leaving her. _'It's not as if the stupid light as much freaking choice in the matter!' _Kagome mentally slapped herself. Nothing ever made sense anymore, she was full to bursting with spite, and something else... maybe love? _Yeah... **whatever**!_ Kagome snarled in her head to herself.

**/Blurring and Stirring the truth and the lies...**

**( So I don't know what's real) So I dunno what's real and what's not (Dunno what's real and what's not)/**

She climbed out of the well, stomped out of the mini-shrine and sent Sota a wicked glare when he called out a cheery 'hello.' She immediately felt bad about taking her anger out of him, but her mind was reeling in confusion: She didn't know whether to be sad or pissed.

**/Always confusing the thoughts in my head**

**So I can't trust _MYSELF ANYMORE/_**

All she knew was that she wouldn't go back. She never wanted to see those resiliant amber eyes again. She sniffed to stifle her sobs and continued on to the Shrine.

**/I'm... Dying... Again.../**

She opened the door, dropped her bookbag on the floor and stomped up the stairs. She slammed the door to her room and plopped down on her bed. _'Might as well work on my homework while I've got time...' _She pulled her books off of her dresser. She studied an Algebra II problem for a whole ten minutes before, finally, she slammed the book shut mercilessly.

**/I'm GOING UNDER! (Going Under)**

**Drowning in YOU! (Drowning in you)**

**I'm FALLING FOREVER! (Falling Forever)**

**I've got to BREAK THROUGH! I'm.../**

Kagome couldn't take it anymore. The tears came and she grabbed the nearest pillow frantically and screamed into it. She hoped somewhere, he was cursing her name.

**/So go on and SCREAM!**

**Scream at me, I'm so far away...(so far away...)**

**I WON'T BE BROKEN, AGAIN! (again...)  
I've got to breathe, I can't keep..**

**GOING UNDER/**

She couldn't take this...those eyes...

/**I'm... Dying... AGAIN/**

Those damn golden eyes haunted her every thought... her every motion...

/**I'm GOING UNDER! (Going under)**

**Drowning in YOU! (Drowning in you)/**

Her mother called up the stairs: "Kagome, are you okay! I heard a slam... And I thought I heard a scream..."

"I'm fine, Mom! Just a spider!" She called back with the fake 'I'm fine... Really' tone in her voice.

/**I'm FALLING FOREVER! (falling forever)**

**I've got to BREAK THROUGH! ... I'm.../**

Damn his eyes... Damn his memory...

/**GOING UNDER/**

She cursed herself for thinking about it... '_Get your mind off of him, dammit!'_ She screamed at herself.

/**GOING UNDER/**

Her last thought, before her eyes, red from crying, closed and her mind delved in sleep, were those hypnotic yellow eyes...

/**I'M GOING UNDER/**

Author's Notes: Soo... watcha think? Good, Bad? ... personally, i'm voting more on "OMIGOD, WHO THE HELL WOULD PURPOSELY EMBARASS THEMSELVES BY POSTING SOMETHING LIKE THIS!" ... anyway...The song that wasn't performed on the CD will be the next chapter... soooo if u dunno what it is... check where i have it written, dumbass... DuH...anyhoo, sorry if u were just called a dumbass but... i'm kinda pissed today... i'm being copied... steadily... no names posted...and right now for this week, i hafta freakin' pretend i dun like anime or manga to hopefully rid myself of a damn stalker... again, no names...

**Next Chapter: Hello**- one of the most freakin' kick ass songs ever... "Hello" is such a cool song... even if you don't like slow songs... I sang it today while standing in the rain, walking through the woods to visit my own personal "Goshin-boku"... yes i have one, yes i walk in the woods, yes i like the rain, yes i like to sing badly, and yes i will kick ur ass if you make me say 'yes' one more friggin time... peace then, til the next chapter...


	3. Hello?

Author's Notes: As I said, before, since "Hello" was not performed on Anywhere but Home, since it kicks ass and is one of my favorite songs, it will be added in.. As an added bonus, it is this chapter. If you were paying attention, then you'd know that... do you have an opinion on what the best Evanescence song is? You do! well, guess what! I don't care... really... i don't... toodles

Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha or Evanescence... blah, blah, blah...

Kagome sat and waited for the elementary school's bell to ring, signaling the end of the children's educational time. It was a dark day, and the girl found her thoughts corresponding with the weather's mood. A light drizzle started to fall and Kagome ignored it, not bothering to open the small umbrella at her side. A chime sounded and told her that recess had ended. Fifteen minutes left...

**/Playground school bell rings...Again...**

**Rain clouds come to play...Again.../**

Against her faltering will, her thoughts drifted back towards Kikyo and Inu-Yasha...

'_Inu-Yasha, you idiot! She's DEAD! DEAD! As in six-feet-under, cold, gone, DEAD!'_

**/Has no one told you she's not breathing/**

She was alone now, Hell, she was even talking to herself... '_Oh well... It's not as if there's anyone around...'_

**/Hello.. I'm your mind, giving you someone to talk to... Hello/**

A second chime sounded, revealing the end of school, and she soon spotted Sota running towards her and immediately banished the thoughts from her head.

"Hey, sis!" he called out cheerfully. She gave him a horribly feigned smile...

"Hey, Sota!"

**/If I smile and.. Don't... Believe/**

'_This has to be just some nightmare... Please!'_ She opened the umbrella as a downpour started and held its rewarding shelter over her and Sota's heads.

**/Soon I know... I'll wake... from this dream.../**

They came to their street and begtan the long walk, with Kagome waving to a few people she knew and Sota recounting every detail of his day. She couldn't seem to get that damned Inu-Yasha out of her head. She pinched herself, praying to wake up next to a warm campfire, in her comfy sleeping bag, with her friends piled around the flames beside her, and Inu-Yasha's form as he sat, sleeping, with Tetsusaiga resting against his shoulder. She begged it to be that way. It had to be. It was supposed to be... right? Isn't that why she meant him!.. Why did this have to be so damn confusing! _'Just don't cry, Kagome... Especially not in front of Sota.. He'll totally freak out... Hold on, just for him...'_ She'd just have to shelter herself behind this fake smile of hers...

/**Don't try to fix me, I'm not Broken!**

**Hello... I'm the lie, living for you, so you can hide... **

**Don't Cry.../**

Then, it dawned on her.

_'My God... Who the hell am I trying to kid! This isn't a dream! This is freaking reality, and there's no changing it! Why am I being such a stupid Drama Queen about it! Why am I lying to myself like this!'_

**/Suddenly.. I know.. I'm not SLEEPING.../**

_'I don't matter... I should just stay here... But...Sango and Miroku and Shippo didn't do anything wrong... Should I go back for them?.. Why am I thinking they want me back, though?... But... don't they?'_

As she and Sota walked up the shrine's front steps, she decided: _'I won't take myself out of THEIR lives, just because Inu-Yasha's a jerk... I'll go back... But I'll let him worry... Just a little..' _ After all, she was still here, and she always would be... He'd just have to deal with it.

**/Hello... I'm still here... All that's left of Yesterday.../**

She smiled her smile, her trademarked smile, for the first time in days...

Author's Notes: yes... kind of a sucky, sappy ending, I know... bite me... I love this song, but I think my real problem is that I won't pour myself into my writing because I'm too afraid of what people will think... really cowardly, really shitty and stupid of me, I know... I'll try harder... 'Please, please forgive me'... lol. That's a line from a song coming up in the future, so better be prepared... well, here's the responses that I forgot last chapter.. and my stupid, evil computer deleted some of 'em, so if I don't respond to yours, that's why. I really do luffle you for reviewing.. I promise.

lil' devil 2004- YOU TOTALLY ROCK! you are, like my most loyal reviewer, and I think I love you... no, Not like that... consider the rest of Anywhere But Home dedicated to you. No matter what. I promise. You rock. AND OMG YOU DESERVE THE REST OF SHADOWFOX TOO! THE REST OF SHADOWFOX IS TOTALLY DEDICATED TO YOUR FOR YOUR AWESOME IDEA! THANKIES MUCH FOR THE INSPIRATION AND I'M REALLY, REALLY, ULTRA SORRY IT'S TAKING ME SO LONG TO GET THE 10TH CHAPPIE UP! peace, my bestest-bestest-best friend.

Naoko-chan-I would thank you, but off course you like it.. ur one of me bestest-best friends too... so i feel bad for you... toodles...

well, peace and the next chapter, we will be back on track with the third song on 'Anywhere But Home,' "Taking Over Me" Yips for us... i'm out..


	4. Taking Over Me

Author's Notes: Here we go, peeps... fourth chapter of Anywhere But Home: "Taking Over Me" Going for the least cliche-d version of this song, These are Sango's thoughts about Kohaku, but hopefully, Sango won't sound like an incestual pedophile... HA ha ha... and By the way, in case you're stupid and haven't noticed that I've changed my penname, i'm pleased to tell you that i've changed my penname. it was Dark-Spirit-Kitsune. It is now Winter-Whisperling. This is to shake the officials who say this fic isn't supposed to exist... Shhh... don't tell anyone...

Disclaimer: woot... I don't own anything...no shit, sherlock. you figured that out on your own! No way! OMIGOD! MARK A HOLIDAY! SOMEONE FIGURED IT OUT! onward, then...

thisisadividerdon'tdeletestupidcomputercuzifyoudoimayhavetohurtyouandthenwhatwillitypemyfanfictionon!pplwillgetmad!

Sango sat, her eyes sad and incoherent with the amount of thoughts and memories swirling about within the depths. It was obvious even to Inu-Yasha that she was dwelling on Kohaku. The Taijiya sighed... She missed her little brother so much. He was all she had left. He was her everything. But maybe.. somehow, they would get him back.. somehow...

**/You don't remember me, but I... Remember You/**

It was so stupid of her to think about him, though. He didn't even know who she was, but she missed him so much. It wasn't fair. It couldn't be. If there was some supernatural force up there who had this all planned out, then it was even more depraved than Hoshi-sama.

**/I lie awake at night and try... Not to think of you..**

**But who.. Can...Decide... What they dream? **

**And dream I do.../**

She had spent so many sleepless months, just dreaming, in a daze, about what things would be like once she had him back. She tried to stop her thoughts from trailing off and running away with those types of imaginary little wonderings, but she couldn't help it. Everything she loved about her family and their profession, how brave and strong they were, how they had died fighting, how much she missed them, rose when she thought of her one little brother. The only member of anything she could ever call a family that stil existed.

But she was sure he would break out of Naraku's hold somehow.. He had already refused the demon's orders once, in protest to the commandment of killing Rin, the human girl who followed Sesshomaru around. (If you don't know that, screw off). She honestly still held out faith that somewhere, deep down, his soul still existed, and with it, his life, his memories, his spirit. The things she missed most of all. _'He has to free himself somehow... He has to... I won't give up on him... Not yet!'_

**/I believe in you!**

**I'll give up everything, just to find you!  
I have to be with you: **

**To live, to _breathe_**

**You're taking Over me.../**

"Sango..?" Miroku came in, leaning heavily on the doorframe, his staff in hand. He looked stressed, totally unlike his usual, laid-back persona, "Are you okay, Sango-sama?"

"Huh..? Oh.. I'm fine, Miroku, thanks..." She said absentmindedly.

"We'll find Kohaku, Sango-sama, I swear it. I won't give up until I can see you smile for real, even if it's just for once." She looked up at him in surprise, but he just gave her his confident smirk, before turning and walking back out the door.

"Miroku..." She murmured, surprised, but soon her thoughts trailed back to her lost little brother. She wished just for once, that he would look at her, in the eyes, with an emotion, any emotion. Be it anger, hatred, vengeance, anything! _'Kami-sama, **anything! **Please, God, just give me a sign that he can still remember me!' _ She found herself sobbing, her knees pulled into her chest, and her head down, resting on them. She cried despite herself, her warrioress's spirit so close to breaking, holding by a single thread. Everything said she was so strong for someone her age. _'No, I'm not! Dammit, are they blind! Don't they realize that it's just fake! Everything's fake!'_ She went back to pleading: _Please, just give me a sign, Kohaku! Let me know that you remember me! Please! Please! Just remember me...'_

**/Have you forgotten all I know... And all we had..!**

**You saw me, mourning my love for you...**

**And touched my hand...**

**I knew you loved me then.../**

It was ripping her apart. It was as if she couldn't love him anymore; Like he was no longer her brother, he was just some monster that had to be destroyed. She prayed it wasn't like that. She remembered, back when she was allowed to love him, how she had taken him for granted, back when he used to love her. Back when the unbreakable, devastatingly powerful bond between younger brother and older sister, united by one cause, still existed. But no, no longer did that emotional tie live. It had died with Kohaku himself, with her family, with her friends, with her very soul. _'Please, Kohaku... I'll always believe in you! But I don't know how much longer I can convince the others that you're worth it! Miroku seems to be with me... but... I don't want to burden Inu-Yasha and Kagome-chan.. or even Shippo, so please, Kohaku! Hear my voice! Listen to me!'_

**/I believe in you!**

**I'll give up everything just to find you!**

**I have to be with you, to live, to breathe, **

**You're taking over me/**

She could see him everywhere, his face, his smile, his eyes, everything about him. Even that horrible scythe that betrayed his character. It was so unlike him, how cold and merciless its glistening steel surface, how boldly it contrasted his warm, shining eyes. By the gods, she missed him. And she couldn't forget him, either. It wasn't something that could be erased with any amount of good deeds and dreams. She saw him everywhere.. Everywhere.. His face was reflected back at her, his eyes haunted her... That smile of his, so happy, so young and naive... _'It's not **fair!** He was too young, Dammit! Naraku, **I'll KILL YOU!**' _ She picked up a mirror Kagome had left and looked into it, at a futile attempt to take her mind off things. What she saw honestly scared her. A broken girl stared back at her. The bloody shards of her shattered soul burned through her sad eyes, red from crying. The marks of her tears trailed down her face. And then, the image changed. She saw him again. She knew she would. She always did.

**/I Look in the mirror... See your face..**

**If I look deep enough..**

**So many things inside..**

**That are just... like... you... are... taking over.../**

Sango slammed the heel of her hand into the mirror's surface, immediately sending glass shards shooting in every direction. They skimmed her face, her neck, her shoulders, and they slashed down her entire arm. Her wrist was nearly cut through. Miroku came, and, having personal experience, (and bruises for proof), on how girls didn't like to be interupted, stood outside the door and... knocked.

"Sango-sama!" He called into the room, "Are you okay! I heard something break! Are you all right!"

"Fine!" Her voice came back in muffled reassurance. He breathed a sigh of relief and she continued, "Kagome-chan's mirror broke! My hand just caught the worst of it!" She hurriedly wrapped the nearest piece of spare fabric around her bleeding arm. It happened to be the small square of cloth she used to carry her armor guards in. The guards lay, littered on the floor, scattered, like her hopes and dreams of recovering and awaking from this nightmarish mission she was on.

"Well.. since you seem to be fine... May I come in?" Miroku's tone was worried, rushed. He sounded... concerned. The realization of this struck Sango far worse than the mirror's splinters had.

"Umm... okay...?" She returned, her voice quavering and unsure. He darted in immediately.

"Good...G-Sango-sama! Are you okay!" His gaze turned away from the shards on the floor and to her. She was currently pressing the cloth deeply into the slashes on her wrist and hand, allowing pressure to do its work.

"Fine..." She said quietly, "Sorry about that." She turned away. He kneeled down in front of her, catching her eyes and staring her straight in the face.

"Don't worry about it. Ever." _'Because I love you, Sango...'_ Of course, he did not say this last part out loud. He was too much of a damn coward, "Well, do you need any help cleaning this up?" He gestured to the glass on the floor.

"Sure.." Sango said. She moved quickly and quietly, showing her training, as she edged around the sharp diamonds on the floor. She used pieces of her armor to sweep the shards up and hold them long enough to dispose of them outside. _'Miroku.. please forgive me.. But... I need to worry about Kohaku first.. but don't leave just yet... Because.. I can't live without you, either... Just give me some more time...'_

**/I believe in you...**

**I'll give up everything just to find you..**

**I have to be with you...**

**To _live!_**

**_To breathe!_**

**_YOU'RE TAKING OVER ME!_**

_**I believe in you! **_

**_I'll give up everything just to find you!  
I have to be with you!_**

_**To live! To breathe!**_

_**You're taking over me/**_

_'Just give me more time, Miroku... because... I love you...' _ Sango thought desperately, as she threw away some glass into the nearby river, where it wouldn't be trodden on by an unfortunate child. Her arm had nearly stopped bleeding, but her mind was far away from her almost-fatal injury. _'Kohaku... give me one more chance.. I'll prove to you that I won't.. I **can't** leave you in Naraku's grasp! So... please... don't give up on me... I'll never give up on you...I'll never forget you...'_

**/(Taking over me) **

**TAKING OVER ME!**

**(taking over me...)**

**YOU'RE TAKING OVER ME/**

thisisanotherdividersodon'tdeleteiteitheryoudumbasscomputerorimighthavetothrowyououtthewindowandthenbeyelledat!

Author's Notes: please tell me this chapter was better... please! I know it still sucked, but it's the first time I've ever really put myself into my work at all, so please tell me it's better. If it is, i will be happy and do it more often and not hold back with it at all and if it isn't any better, then i'll be sad and may have to go break a mirror... and i won't do it anymore... and by the way, if deletes my account, i'll probly move.. further updates will be posted if this happens. I'll start a new penname re-post all three stories with a discontuation note and a new address that you can find them at. I also have close to 7 or 8 new fics in the works, but they will not be posted until Shadowfox and The Demon's Reign are done. but anyhoo, on a lighter note: woot... that is all. thank you.

blah... i'm sooo bored...

**Next chapter:** "Everybody's Fool" Kagome returns to the feudal era in a sudden fit of rage and confronts Kikyo. The truth stands: someone's going to get hurt. And they're both willing to risk it all. Insults will be exchanged. Hatred will rule. Ever heard the myth that priestesses don't cuss? heh heh.. that ends, come next chapter... mwahahahahahahahahahahahaha How will it end? Who will win this battle and Inu-Yasha's heart? Hell, I don't know, and I'm writin' the damn thing... oh, and expect some more Sango/Miroku in some later chapters probably. Just because they're one of my fave anime couples... so nya... ((sticks tongue out)) later...

Review Responses: sorry, i've been uber-lazy with these... but here are the ones for the last couple of chapppies:

Darth Saboteur-Chapter 3- thankies sooooo much! you people rock! heh heh heh... next chapter there's gonna be some serious hatred rulin' heh heh heh... hope no one here has anything against cussing... heeeee..

lil' devil 2004-Chapter 3- YAYYYYY! A NEW BESTEST-BESTEST-BEST FRIEND! WOOOOOOOOO! heeeeee thankies again for how cool ur reviews are. You rock. End of story.

NaokoMageofDarkness... or Hopless-Savage or whoever the hellsies you are these days, Naoko-chan-Chapter 2- of course you like it, goofball. ur my friend... Durrrrr... WOOOOOOT! BABY CARROTS! ... and yes, indeeedly-doodly-doo there is another chapter, naoko-chan... heee someone forgot to take their medicine today... heh heh.. j/k, Naoko-chan..

Hopless-Savage-Chapter 3- of course you like my stories because ur my friend. that's the unspoken rule. u can't just go around flaming ur friends... DUH... and i will do my best to keep this fic running as long as possible. just to piss off the people who say I can't.. ha. so there. woot. that is all.

Rachel-Chapter 3- "Hello" is one of my fave songs too. and I did bring that tape... eventually... lol. and yes, America and Goochland do indeed, suck ass. Canada ROCKS! GO CANADA! and yeah, we had fun.. besides Sean and Matt going around and bothering random Canadians until they said "Eh" ... poor, innocent Canada never stood a chance...


	5. Everybody's Fool

Author's Notes: well, hopefully ya' wanted it. and by the way, don't get mad about how I'm updating stories! I update by the number of reviews the story gets. this time 'shadowfox' won with 6 reviews, 'AWBH' came second with 4 and 'The Demon's Reign' lost with a pathetic 1 review.. ONE ONE ONE! WTF, PEOPLE! well, just to let you know, if you want ur fave fic updated fastest, REVIEW! it's just one quick button away!

And I hope no one will get mad at me if there's erm.. cursing in this chappie.. and lots of it, probly. Not only do we have Inu's ever-present gentlemanly-ness, but this time we've got Kagome and Kikyo going head to head, and we all know that Kagome may _seem_ well raised, but she can be pretty scary under the proper circumstances.

don'tdeletemydividersyoudamncomputerihateyouihateyouihateyouihateyouihateyouyoustupidmoronicpieceofshitihateyou!

Kagome hummed to herself lightly. It was a beautiful day outside, the gentle breeze blowing daintily through her window, stirring everything from her curtains to her long black hair. She smiled; her mood was as peaceful as the weather. She gave Buyo a playful noogie and received a glare from the cat that read 'Why the hell did you just interupt a perfectly good cat nap?' She laughed at him and watched as he lay his head down on his paws and closed his eyes again. She decided since today was so beautiful, it was a perfectly good time to back to the Sengoku Jidai. She smiled happily and stared out the window, at a robin that rested momentarily on the sill, chirped once, hopped about for a second, then took off again in a flurry of maple-colored feathers. She swung her legs over one side of the bed, dragged over her massive book bag and set to work packing clothes. She continued to hum and laughed at Buyo when he cast annoyed cat-stares in her direction.

Around ten minutes later, she came bounding down the stairs. She hoisted the large yellow pack onto the counter and began shoveling random food items into it. When it was nearly full to bursting, she left it there and decided that she deserved another half an hour before she left. For preparation, since she knew she would have to apologize to that jackass, Inu-Yasha.

Around five hundred years in the past, a dog hanyou sneezed unexpectedly. He cast the motion away with a 'feh!' and continued on his way. He was bound and determined to find something in this forest. He was bound and determined to find _someone _in this forest.

He caught sight of several soul collectors and shot towards the spot where they swirled through the air. When he reached the clearing, he first realized with a start it was the well's sacred spot in the wood and secondly, he realized Kikyo was standing there, tears streaming down her face, with one hand resting on the jagged scar that ran down the Goshin-Boku.

"Inu-Yasha..." She breathed.

He watched her, with slight awe at hearing his voice. He noted her complexion was so much paler than it had been when she was alive. She looked like one of the porcelain dolls the venders sold at festivals. Her white skin contrasted vividly against her hair, midnight-black against the bright colors of the beautiful, shining-blue sky and brilliant green forest around her. To his surprise, she turned and looked at him. A slight smile tugged at her lips and he found himself trapped in her gaze.

"Why are you hiding from me?" She asked him. He could _feel_ her smile in her voice. He liked it. He missed that smile.

"Nothing better to do around here.." He said, stepping out of the bushes he had been behind and staring at the ground.

"Is there something interesting on the ground, Inu-Yasha?" He looked up at this, she was still smiling at him. He walked over to her.

"No, but there's something interesting here.." He stated in a faraway voice. He wrapped his arms around her, "Because I can't tell you how long I've been waiting to see that smile."

She sighed, and locked her arms behind his back, "I've been waiting to see you again, Inu-Yasha."

"I know.." His voice still sounded dazed. He was lost in her essence. Her aura, her smell, the sheer sight of her made him happy. He didn't know why, but she just did.

Kagome grabbed an apple from the counter, and wandered around the house until she found her mom, Sota and her grandfather.

"Jii-chan! Mom! Sota! I'm leaving! I don't really know how long I'll be gone!" She called to them.

"Be careful, Kagome." Her mother gave her a tight hug and a kiss on the forehead, "Don't let the demons get you down!"

"Bye, Sis!" Sota called, without even looking in her general direction. He had his eyes glued to another video game. Kagome rolled her eyes.

"I'll be careful if you promise not to let him rot his brains out with that stuff!" She said, smiling.

"Sota, go outside and play for a while, why don't you? It's beautiful outside!" Her mother called to him.

"Just a sec. Lemme beat this boss and make it to the final corridor and---"

"Goodbye, Kagome. And remember, do be careful!" Her grandfather waved goodbye.

She gave her mother one last hug and bolted out of the house, into the mini-shrine and leapt down the well.

Kagome, with her impeccable timing, climbed out of the well just in time to see Kikyo and Inu-Yasha locked in embrace, for the second time in a few days. She muttered a few choice words. She continued out of the well, she wouldn't let that bitch Kikyo put her out again.

"Ahem!" She stated angrily.

Kikyo and Inu-Yasha both whirled around. The look on his face was fogged at first, but the next expression read 'Oh, SHIT!' Kikyo, however, remained looking stoic, cold and merciless.

"Ahem, yourself. Why don't you leave, little girl?" Kikyo suggested icily.

"Fuck off, you stupid clay pot!" Kagome retorted angrily. Kikyo looked slightly taken aback.

"What did you say to me?" She asked, her tone quiet and deathly cold.

"Did I stutter!" Kagome spat viciously.

"That's IT, girl! Shall we finish this now!" Kikyo rounded on her, ripping away from Inu-Yasha's grasp. She snatched her bow from the ground and knocked an arrow in a single fluid movement, "Any last words?" She growled.

"What about you!" Kagome snapped. She, too, had her bow drawn, an arrow resting on her finger, waiting to be released, "I'm so fucking tired of _you!_ I'm always trapped in the shadow of the great freakin' _Kikyo!_ Everywhere I go, Kikyo-_this_, Kikyo_-that_! I'm so _TIRED_ of it!" She released the arrow.

**/Perfect. By Nature./**

"You don't care about anyone else, Kikyo! Stop faking! You bitch, you just care about saving your _own_ life, and screw anyone who gets in your way!" Kikyo was temporarily distracted, considering she had to take several steps to avoid Kagome's arrow. Kagome ceased to discontinue her torrent of insults, "I'm tired of being consider a mediocre priestess just because of _YOU!_" Kagome shot again. "Everyone thinks you're so damn _PERFECT_! Maybe someone should _prove them WRONG!" _ Inu-Yasha watched as Kagome's arrows, doused in seething hatred, showered Kikyo. Even a superior priestess like her couldn't keep her strength against a barricade of force like that.

**/Icons of Self-Indulgence/**

"That.. is... _ENOUGH!_" Kikyo shouted suddenly. A barrier of light exploded around her, and the arrows ceased to exist, "You stupid _CHILD!_ _Don't you think you should take the hint!_ No one WANTS YOU HERE!"

"No one wants YOU HERE EITHER!" Kagome screamed back at her.

**/Just what we all need!**

**More lies about a world that.../**

"You little WRETCH!" Kikyo's fury was greater than Kagome had anticipated. The dead priestess's strength was overwhelming. But Kagome didn't care anymore. She continued to shoot her arrows against a barrier of solid, crystalized power.

"YOU'RE SO DAMN _FAKE_!" Kagome shouted, "THERE'S NO WAY IN HELL ANYONE AS PERFECT AS YOU COULD'VE _EVER_ LIVED! BUT YOU DON'T CARE! AS LONG AS PEOPLE THINK YOU'RE FLAWLESS, THEN YOU'RE _FINE_! WHAT THE _HELL_ IS WRONG WITH YOU!"

**/Never was and never will be!**

**Have you no shame, don't you see me!  
You know you've got everybody fooled/**

"Little _girl,_" Kikyo growled, putting an emphasis on 'girl' to make it clear to Kagome that she was acting childish, "Your playtime is _over_. I grow tired of your games! You'll _regret_ the day you crossed _me!_"

"Yeah, excuse me, while I keel over and bow to Your Almighty Perfection, Lady Kikyo!" Kagome snarled back.

**/Look, here she comes now!**

**BOW down and _stare in wonder!_**

**OH! How we _love_ you! **

**_No flaws when you're pretending_/**

Kagome shot five more arrows and watched, with an out-of-character, malicious grin on her face as Kikyo's soul-barrier shattered like glass and several of the spirits she held flew off into the night. The elder priestess hit her knees and gave Kagome a look of pure, undeniable hatred. Kagome would've frozen, if she hadn't known her own eyes reflected that same emotion.

"You... little... bitch." Kikyo's voice was choked with utter loathing as she glared at Kagome from the ground.

"You're nothing but _talk! _I knew you were a _fake..._" The younger priestess snarled wickedly.

**/But now I know she**

**Never was and never will be!  
You don't know how you betrayed me!**

**And somehow you've got everybody FOOLED/**

But suddenly, as several more souls exploded from Kikyo's sham body, the dead miko's expression changed to one total, and complete fear. Kagome's eyes went wide as the realization of what she'd done came into focus, like one of her arrows piercing through a haze of reddened hatred; a jet of streaming hope and light through unpenetrable darkness.

"Oh my god... What did I... How could I... " Kagome stammered. Kikyo turned to look at her living counterpart, her eyes filled with disgust and a burning desire for murder and vengeance. Kagome winced, "Kikyo, I'm.. Oh, god... But... That body of yours.. it betrays you.. I'm sorry, but.. I have to... If I kill you, maybe you'll rest in peace.. please, forgive me!" Kagome raised her bow, knocking an arrow into place. Kikyo's expression didn't change. Her eyes burned into Kagome's mind, stoic, dead, merciless and spiteful. Kagome couldn't help but wonder what would happen if that anger and hatred were ripped away. What would happen if the real Kikyo were exposed?

**/Without the mask... Where will you hide?**

**Can't find yourself!**

**Lost in your _lie!_/**

Kikyo, taking advantage of Kagome's hesitation, leapt up and shot a cannon-like blast of purifying energy in Kagome's direction. The younger miko screamed and fell to the ground.

"You faking bitch!" Kagome choked out through the dirt in her mouth.

"Takes one to know one." Kikyo's voice was icy. She walked towards Kagome, bent down, and pulled her halfway up by her hair, "You were really going to _kill_ me, weren't you? So that you could have this soul for yourself, hmm!" She released Kagome and let her head hit the dirt hard, "You worthless child! You are undeserving of the life you have! So give it to me!" Kagome could feel Kikyo's arrow pointed down, directly at her head. She winced, and waited for the moment of pain, then the feeling of nothing. It didn't come. Kagome rolled over blankly and stared at Kikyo.

"Well...?" She asked, her voice sounding harsh and distant, even to her own ears, "Are you going to kill me, or not!"

"I refuse to murder an un-armed, un-prepared opponent," Kikyo stated blankly, "Here." She shoved a masterless bow towards Kagome, "Now we will end this."

Kagome was shocked. She had never seen this Kikyo, no, this _abomination_ that _called_ itself Kikyo, show compassion or mercy of any sort. She thought she had, but, hell, she often mistook attempting to drag someone to hell as compassion. She was dumbfounded.

**/I know the truth now!**

**I know who you are!**

**And I don't love you ANYMORE/**

Kagome rose to her feet and knocked an arrow. Kikyo raised her bow in a shielding position. Kagome was outmatched in skill by far, but Kikyo was outmatched in will and spirit. She just hoped that if she lost, that her friends could gather the shards without her.

**/It never was and never will be!**

**You don't know how you've betrayed me**

**and somehow you've got.../**

Kagome shot one last arrow, one last attempt at victory, putting all of her suffering of seeing Inu-Yasha and Kikyo together, all of her anger for the dead priestess that so challenged her will, her hatred for the woman who had tried to break her spirit, break her body, break her mind.. break her heart. She shot one last arrow that left the other priestess on the ground, dying, her soul collectors buzzing and hovering, anxious and distraught. Their rushed sighs told of their worry. Kagome gasped, and hit her knees. She had to finish this. She took one last look at Kikyo, muttered a silent prayer and stood again.

/**It never was and never will be!**

**You're not REAL and YOU CAN'T SAVE ME!**

**And/**

As Kagome aimed for the final time, her bow quivering in her exhausted, dirty hands, the last lines of a song came to her.. she didn't know why, and the song wasn't one she knew off the top of her head, but she muttered that last line, all the same, "**Somehow now you're everybody's fool...**" She would have shot, if she hadn't felt those hands on her shoulders, strong, and commanding. The hands of the one she loved.

"That's enough, Kagome." His voice was odd, and distant. He had watched in horror for long enough as this massacre unfolded before him, "Don't hurt her anymore."

Kagome did not believe her ears. _Her _not hurt _Kikyo!_ What the Hell! "Inu-Yasha.. I.. I don't understand... What?"

"Don't. Hurt. Her. Anymore." His tone was cold and unforgiving.

"Fine. I'll leave and let you two get re-acquainted," She spat, and dashed to Kaede's hut.

Inu-Yasha watched her leave, making no attempt to stop her.

"Kagome-sama? Are you leaving so soon?" The monk's violet eyes were inquisitive and curious.

"Yeah.. Sorry, Miroku-sama.. Bye, Shippo-kun, bye, Sango-chan.. and Kaede-san. I've um.. got lots of studying to do..." She slipped out of the cozy little home on the outskirts of Edo and had leapt down the well before she realized she was in the forest.

Author's Notes: Yeah.. cliffy.. and there's tons of chappie before the song actually starts... sorry... and I'm going on vacation soon so I'm trying to update all my stories... Shadowfox has been updated and now AWBH is updated and I'm working on The Demon's Reign chapter 3. sooo peace..

Next Chapter: "Missing" Kagome contemplates her role in the Sengoku Era after Inu-Yasha's cold semi-goodbye. Inu-Yasha contemplates his role in Kagome's and Kikyo's lives. "Missing" is the AWBH Bonus song and is probably one of my fave Evanescence songs.. It's so sadddd. and prettty and oooooooooooooo-ness... so, anyhoo, later.


	6. Missing

Author's Notes: Well, I hope you've been waiting for it... here it is: Chapter six of Anywhere But Home: "Missing" which is one of my favorite songs. if it isn't one of yours, then go screw yourself, cuz I don't care. I hope the last chapter was bitchy enough for ya! Onward, hooooe! heh heh... i said 'hoe' heh heh... erm.. anyway, today's lesson kids is that prostitution is wrong! to the story!

Disclaimer: Have you ever wondered what the patent meeting for a grilled cheese was like? It must've been like:

Patent officer: So, it's ...erm.. 'grilled.. cheese'?

Creator-Dude-Guy: yeah, dude, it's gonna be huge, just wait

Patent officer: erm.. yeah.. I really don't think it's what we're looking for... or what the rest of the world is looking for. Have a nice day!

Creator-Dude-Guy: well, fine, I'll just patent it myself, stupid! ((sticks tongue out)) SO NYAH!

Patent officer: Well, Um... Okay, you do that then, sir.

Creator-Dude-Guy: HAHA! Who's in charge now!

Yeah, that was what it was like... I know, I was there! Whaddya mean that's not how it happened! Were you there! HUH! HUH, PUNK! YEAH, YEAH, WHAT NOW? WHAT NOW!

thisisanywherebuthoooooomeanywherebuthoooooooooooooooooooooooooomeanywherebuthoooooooooooooooooooome

Kagome sat in the window in her bedroom. Tear stains ran down her cheeks and the normal determined pierce of her eyes was muted in a desperate last resort to hide herself. She watched as the beautiful petals of the Goshin-Boku's flowers rained lightly to litter the ground in kaleidoscope patterns, contrasting against the earth that sheltered the massive oak's roots. She held her fingers out, reached out her arm to touch that tree, knowing she couldn't touch, but reaching out anyway. Like trying to bring your hand to meet the stars and the moon at night, never had reaching that towering tree seemed so difficult. To her surprise, a small bird fluttered down upon her hand, leaping about and peeping playfully in a high-pitched voice that brought light to the day, where the sky was still clustered by tall, billowing clouds from the recent storms.

She pulled her hand into her face and studied the small creature, noticing a long, twining scar that ran down one wing, and immediately thought of her best friend, Sango; how the bird's fiery eyes and songlike spirit brought a ray of sunshine into the darkest of nights. How, even when scarred brutally both mentally and physically, the Taijiya's hopes still soared like this tiny animal in her hand. Kagome sniffed lightly, and felt the tears come again, retracing old paths down her face, from eyes that were sick and tired of crying, yet could do nothing to stop. She focused all her attention on the bird on her fingers, as she felt the tiniest of pinpricks where its small talons gripped innocently, when it turned and looked her in those same tearstained eyes and gave a long, sorrowful whistle, as though speaking directly to her. She sniffed again and the tears fell into her lap. The bird cocked its head and hopped once, chirping brightly, curious as to why this girl had a personal rainstorm to carry around inside of her. It peeped once loudly, with a definate sadness in its eyes, something incredibly rare for a songbird, and then fluttered away, as though in apology for making her cry. She stared with blank and tearing eyes as it shot and flew through the sky with an unmatched grace and beauty. She ducked her head, wishing that she could run like that, fly so far away that she could hide forever, never having to face any of this. She envied the same creature that she had just held and reverred so tenderly only a moment ago.

_**/Please, please forgive me...**_

_**But I won't be home again.../**_

Those same fiery golden eyes that that same songbird possessed, that piercing, all-knowing gaze that it had fixed upon her, filled with sadness and devotion, happiness and a stubborn, die-hard spirit, all that, and her watching it fly away so gallantly, needless to say, reminded her of a certain hanyou. Then the tears started again, full-force: the look he had given her before she left, the hateful look she had given him in return, coupled with her searing, indirect 'goodbye'. The concern in his voice when he spoke to _her_. That spiteful walking mound of _bones_. The anger rose in her again and she now knew what it felt like, when Kikyo burned on the funeral pyre; She knew what it felt like to have flames, inside and out, licking her body, and how it felt to be so hateful, so angry, so full of sadness and regret and hopelessness that she didn't even _feel_ those flames, just a burning desire for an untainted, pure immortality, achieved through desecration and demise. She hoped for just a moment that he hadn't forgotten her, and felt the flames through her forgiving nature, and quickly hardened again, _no_, she just wanted him to remember that last look she had given him. That final, hate-filled, spiteful, angry glare, that made even _him_ wince and step back. But she wanted him to also remember the smiles that she gave him...

_**/Maybe someday you'll look up..**_

_**And barely concious, you'll say to no one:**_

_**'Isn't something missing?'/**_

She hung her legs out of the window, so all she sat on was the window sill, and nothing was beneath her but two stories of air, then hard ground. She watched as the songbirds joined together and started up a whimsical symphony in the branches of the Goshin-Boku. The tree seemed to sway in time to their rythym, using the growing wind as an excuse to dance and move. Maybe they were mocking her, because she couldn't fly and sing in such beautiful, impossible tones as to greet the world to the sun, and the night to the moon. She knew that no one back then would miss her, now. She had been stupid enough, insolent and _childish_ enough to think that maybe there was something there for her. She was naive and ignorant, and she now acknowledged and accepted that fact. No, she wouldn't return there. She realized now that that had been her mistake, ever going back to address her friends, for now she knew she had none. There would be no one to mourn her absence and perhaps she wanted it that way. But for now, she was undecided.

_**/You won't cry for my absence, I know.**_

_**You forgot me long ago./**_

No, no one would separate he and his precious _Kikyo_, now. No one would stumble across them as they drowned in the nostalgia of their misspent years. No one would threaten Kikyo, no one but Naraku, and Inu-Yasha didn't need any help there, either. He could defeat anyone and anything. He was perfect, she was perfect. Everything was perfect. Kagome sniffed, and small tearstains erupted and darkened on her skirt. No, she was belittled by Kikyo. She was puny, pathetic... Weak. Compared to Kikyo, she was nothing, apparently, and she had been naive enough to think that maybe there was some competition between the two of them. Ha. She saw now that her challenging Kikyo was like that cute little songbird challenging a hawk. That hawk could kill that little sparrow with its _eyes,_ without even dirtying its flawless, murderous talons. So much for the songbird.

_**/Am I that unimportant?**_

**_Am I so insignificant?_**

_**Isn't something missing?**_

_**Isn't someone missing me/**_

No, Kikyo and Inu-Yasha were meant for each other, she told herself angrily, shaking her head furiously and nearly pulling her hair out as she ran her hand through it. She watched as a single tear fell down the two stories before exploding onto the ground beneath her. She decided that, as fun as falling would be, it was probably best not to do it. Just in case

Inu-Yasha decided that Kikyo was suddenly the songbird.. Ha, yeah right. She still didn't want to fall, though. She took comfort in the fact that he wouldn't miss her, she would do anything to know that he did, but he didn't. She didn't want him to be sad and lonely because he believed that she didn't love him. Oh, no, she loved him more than anything else in the world. But he didn't return the feeling, so she could probably repress it long enough to find someone else. That is, of course, if there was anyone else.

_**/Even though I'm the sacrifice,**_

_**You won't try for me, not now!**_

**_Though I'd die to know you love me,_**

_**I'm all alone...**_

_**Isn't someone missing me/**_

He lay the beautiful, deceased priestess down on the floor of the hut. Her long ebony hair ran unbound and sprawled out to pillow her head, her stoic brown eyes now closed in a red-hazed sleep, as blood continued to run down her face and arms. She had several large slashes on her shoulders and arms, and many unseen cuts, hidden by that same dark hair. She gave a light, pained sound as she felt herself devoid of his warm embrace.

"Inu-Yasha.. What happened to Lady Kikyo?" Miroku asked, his voice laden with suspicion and pity, all at once.

"Who did this to my elder sister?" Kaede asked, seeing Kikyo lying on the wooden floor, on Inu-Yasha's red kimono.

"Kagome." His tone was indeterminable and laced with what could almost be called anger.

"No way! Kagome would never do something like this! Not ever!" Shippo said, glaring at Inu-Yasha for even considering the possibility.

"Well, she did." His voice was still flat and monotonous.

"You're kidding me." Sango cut in now, giving Inu-Yasha a direct stare, looking deep into the golden eyes for any trace of being unsure or joking, even. When she found none, she sighed and shook her head, "It was bound to happen sooner or later.. Kagome was so jealous, and Kikyo is so.. _perfect_. Kagome really cared about you, Inu-Yasha, I hope you know that now that she's probably going to be gone for a while."

Shippo looked up at Sango, "Do you think she'll come back!"

At Sango's sad, mournful look, his eyes teared, "Inu-Yasha, how could do this to Kagome! You're such a selfish JERK! Look at what you're deranged girlfriend has done!"

"Shut up!" Inu-Yasha's voice was filled with a malevolent, deadly warning. The young fox demon quickly looked up and found himself caught in one of the most ferocious and dangerous gazes he had ever seen, "You. Will. NOT. Blame. This. On. Kikyo. Do you _understand_!" Shippo nodded, terrififed. The look of anger deepened on the hanyou's face. He turned to depart, leaving stunned and shocked looks on the faces of his companions.

"Wh-Where are you going?" Sango asked, immediately angry at herself for stuttering.

"Bite me." He left with saying only that, then shot away outside, faster than they could see.

He ran for a while, until he finally settled on a hill, tie-dyed by brilliant wildflowers, that he found he hated immediately. They were so bright and happy, but how could they be! Damn flowery hypocrites! No one was happy forever, and he and the people around him were living proof of that. He sat down angrily, and pulled one of the blossoms up for inspection. He found himself pulling all of its petals off, and enjoying the torturous act a little too much for it to be considered healthy. He tossed the stem away and rested his head on his hand. He sighed angrily, his golden eyes filled with such an anger and hatred that they nearly caused the grass in front of him to catch flame. He stared hard at the ground, before closing his eyes and biting his lip, as his spite turned to sadness. There was thinking to do, and he didn't want to be the one to do it, but there wasn't anyone else who could. He cursed under his breath and silently apologized to the girl with the raven hair and forgiving hazel eyes, whose reflections stained the petals in front of him, who prescence cast light upon the lives around her. He silently apologized to Kagome and remembered her final look at him, so full of anger and betrayal. He hated himself, now. He had made her look like that. He had made her that angry, that regretful.

_**/Please, please, forgive me..**_

_**But I won't be home again**_

_**I know what you do to yourself./**_

He knew she would blame herself for what happened. Which was wrong, considering it was _his_ fault, not hers. No, she hadn't constantly angered those around her. She hadn't been so indecisive when it came to choosing sides. She hadn't betrayed, lied, killed. No, she was innocent, it was _him_ that had been so reluctant to forget a past that held nothing for him. It was _he_ who had destroyed the lives and broken the hearts of those around him. He wanted her back, but he didn't deserve someone as beautiful and giving as Kagome. At least that scrawny wolf, Koga wouldn't ever do _this_ to her.

He winced in astonishment at his own stupidity. He was apparently missing the talent of being able to tell when you were going to regret something, so you didn't do it. Myoga called it a conscience, but he was pretty sure he had one of those, he just couldn't tell if something he was doing in the present was going to be something to regret in the future. He knew he couldn't do that, because at the time, protecting Kikyo from Kagome seemed like an intelligent thing to do, but as soon as he saw that horrid look Kagome had given him, he had realized his mistake and his own blind idiocy. Now he not only had to tolerate Kikyo's _prescence,_ but he also had to tolerate Kagome's _abscence._ (the italics are so that we can recognize that 'prescence' and 'absence' are _opposites!_ yay for sesame street!) He sighed deeply and prayed that Kagome would consider forgiving him and coming back to see him. He hoped she missed him, because he sure as hell missed her and she had only been gone for around two hours.

_**/I breathe deep and cry out:**_

_**"Isn't something missing?**_

_**Isn't someone missing me!"/**_

Maybe the prospect, the possibility that he would never see her again is what egged on this newfound feeling of discontentment and insecurity. Maybe the fact that he knew he had screwed up royally tempted him to leap into that well and follow her around until she even came to contemplate listening to him. He hoped this second, lower-down feeling wasn't anger. The last thing he wanted was to be angry at Kagome, because 1) He had _no right_ to be angry at Kagome, 2) This whole mess was his fault, anyway and 3) She was mad at him, and when they were mad at each other, there was no ground gained in any short amount of time. His original number three was that Kagome was a whole helluva lot better kisser than Kikyo was, but for the sake of preserving Kagome's dignity, he'd go with the fact that she was pissed off at him and had every right to be. He knew she wouldn't do a damn thing to come see him and he acknowledged the fact that he was a complete and total moron. She shouldn't have to drag herself out here, five hundred years from her comfort zone, just to apologize to a jerk. He didn't want to bother her, so he quickly decided there was no point in going through the well, to bring her back, either. He sighed again, he wished she would come back though, if not because he was lazy enough that he wouldn't go get her, but for the fact that he missed her, and he knew damn well that Kikyo wouldn't let him go through.

_**/Even though I'm the sacrifice,**_

_**You won't try for me, not now.**_

**_Though I'd die to know you love me, _**

_**I'm all alone...**_

_**Isn't someone missing me/**_

He came to the conclusion that, because he definately did _not_ want to discuss any of these emotions or thoughts with the rest of the group, he should pretend to be _mad_ at Kagome, instead of missing her. That would make Kikyo happy and keep her quiet, but it might also cost him the friendship he had with Sango, Miroku and Shippo. But, when all of this got sorted out, perhaps they'd be understanding. _If _ it ever got sorted out, that is. But at the prospect of rage towards Kagome, his secondary emotions came through and he suddenly found himself questioning again why he _shouldn't_ be mad at her. After all, she had nearly _killed_ Kikyo, nearly murdered her in cold blood, just for being herself. He found the familiar yet ancient regret of ever having met Kagome, that he had harbored when he first met her, before he had come to know her, trust her and even love her. He had hidden it since then, but now it arouse with a new fire. It appeared his next battle would be with a newly designated 'Shard Detector' since Kagome suddenly found that she was too good for their time.

_**And if I bleed, I'll bleed**_

_**Knowing you don't care!**_

_**And if I sleep... Just to dream of you,**_

_**I'll wake without you there/**_

Kagome reminisced momentarily as she watched Shippo drawing pictures with his new crayons in her mind, remembered Sango's strong, encouraging words as the Slayer attempted to teach the young miko how to hold and throw Hiraikotsu, and Miroku's kind, mischievious smile right before groping Sango and being slapped brutally. But most of all, she remembered her guardian, the one who had saved her life countless times, as she was helpless, resigned to standing on the sidelines, watching him go through hell all for the name of her and their friends. She hoped he wasn't angry, but at the same time, hoped he was, so that he never, ever missed her and felt this hole she now did. Her empty brown eyes stared blankly out into the springtime day, with a Harvest Moon already in the sky, claiming the world a little too early, rivaling the sun, yet never reaching its brightness.

She stared as the squirrels and other creatures in the shrine's yard frolicked about frantically (try saying that five times fast: 'froclicked about frantically'), as a piercing call sounded through. The rabbits ran for cover and she even saw Buyo retreating into the shelter of the mini-shrine to catch rats. She looked up at the sound of the call and gasped, as the beauty she once held in her hand now lay, swathed in blood, in a single sequence of events that brought her to terms with her situation and immortalized themselves in her mind: That beautiful, innocent songbird that she had only recently held in her own hand, was now dead. A fierce hawk stood above it, its piercing eyes burning holes in everything around it, its hooked beak and talons dripping and red with blood. She felt her tears fall from her shocked eyes, as she realized how defeated she was. When the hawk finished its meal, it climbed into the sky furiously, pumping its long, graceful wings and launching away faster than the songbird ever could, more graceful and beautiful than the tiny sparrow could ever have been. What shocked her more, was that as soon as the hawk had left, the rest of the small birds came out, only momentarily inspecting their dead friend, before continuing in a happy little harmonizing diddy that coaxed the other animals out of hiding, to go about their business.

So that was her fate, Kikyo had defeated her, and now she was forgotten. She didn't want to be that songbird any longer, so sweet and charming, yet so vulnerable and fragile. Kikyo would always be a hawk, cold and lifeless, merciless and fierce. Even the dead priestess's eyes were smiliar to the cunning and cruel animal. While Kagome had to admit watching the hawk was enticing, it was so beautiful and godly, so surreal, that it could not have been born on this earth or the next. And that reminded her even more of Kikyo, the strong, intelligent gaze, so capable and confident. Yes, poor little Kagome was a songbird, a child and big, powerful Kikyo was a hawk, a killer, a hunter. Kagome felt the tears run hot down her cheeks and let them fall without reprimanding herself. It was not self-pity, no, she cried for the small bird who'd had its life taken away so mercilessly, so quickly, that it had probably never seen it coming until that unforgiving beak and those murderous talons rendered its flesh. Kagome shuddered momentarily as she imagined Kikyo bearing down on her, with one of those horrid arrows aimed dead at her. But why would Kikyo bother with her? She was defeated, lost, hopeless. She had given her all and it wasn't good enough, so there was no competition left. Kikyo was greater, and always would be.

_**/Isn't something missing? **_

_**Isn't something.../**_

****Kagome bowed her head, closed her eyes and muttered a short prayer for the deceased being, promising a funeral later. She believed it was stupid, though, to be so sad for the loss of such a common creature, but she slapped herself mentally for it. That was a cruel thought, to believe that something so small was unworthy of mourning. It was beautiful, even if not the strongest or biggest. The way it had sung so gallantly and proudly was definately something, but now that same melody was muted forever. She knew that was now her fate, so she hung her head and bore the weight of that prospect of how she would be forgotten, she would never fly again, never smile or sing or enjoy the Goshin-Boku's sheltering, motherly branches. No, she, Kagome, would, too, be forgotten, just like that tiny little bird.

_**/Even though I'm the sacrifice,**_

_**You won't try for me, not now.**_

**_Though I'd die to know you love me,_**

_**I'm all alone...**_

_**Isn't something missing?**_

_**Isn't someone missing me.../**_

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Author's Notes: wow... ((sniffle) this chapter brought me down a whole lot.. it's so sad... I have to admit, though, not to blow my own horn, but, while it doesn't stay on topic, it is kind of pretty... I know that sounds really weird coming from me, but I really _like_ this chapter. It's so sad, but it's not as bad as the other ones. It made me sad typing it, and you can even ask Naoko-chan about that one, cuz I was talking to her on the phone when I started this chappie, and I was all hyper an'

goof-ball-ish, but now at the end of this chapter, I'm all bummed out... oh well, hopefully it's that moving... or maybe I'm just sick from reading it... and I'm not sure where the songbird/hawk thing came from, but it probably came from EVERY EFFING ANIME EVER CREATED! ...well, anyway... besides me cliche-ing this chapter, horribly, there's nothin' scheduled really at all... this fic probably won't have a happy ending and probably won't wrap up nice and tight like usual fics do. Why? Because this ISN'T the usual fic, people! I'm writing it TO this Cd, not writing the CD to the fic. well, anyway, later, people... and oh, before I forget to tell you, in case you haven't seen my bio page and don't know this, but the reason I'm not updating "The Demon's Reign" is because the third chapter isn't cooperating and the computer won't let me update or even open the file up. For right now, the fic is on hold while I try to figure out what to do, and I don't really want to retype it, but if I have to, I will as a last resort. I really liked the third chapter, I thought it was really, actually kind'a good... anyway, Ja ne! see ya next time! ****


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